Special Purpose Funding

FUNDING CATEGORIES

Play-based Materials & Equipment Funding is intended to help Service Providers to create enriching environments both indoors and outdoors with open ended materials that promote children’s learning and development through exploration, play and inquiry consistent with the views, four foundations and pedagogical approaches of How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years.

Repairs & Maintenance Funding is to support licensed child care centres and home child care agencies that are not in compliance with licensing requirements or may be at risk of not being in compliance with licensing requirements under the Act. Funding is intended to cover one-time repair and maintenance costs.

Transformation Funding is to support program viability and facilitate child care transformation funding one-time costs for licensed child care Service Providers that are involved in business transformation activities and/or require business transformation supports.

For more information on eligible and ineligible expenditures, please see guidelines linked below.

FUNDING PRIORITIES

Priority will be given to requests that demonstrate the most critical and time sensitive needs. Funding will be prioritized for Service Providers that can demonstrate that they are not in compliance or are at risk of not being in compliance with licensing requirements under the Act.

Once the above priority has been addressed, Funding will be allocated within priorities identified by the Service Provider (i.e. first addressing all agency identified “Priority 1” then moving to next agency identified priority until Funding has been exhausted.)

IDENTIFICATION OF NEEDS

In order to plan for needs or requirements related to one-time funding allocations, DNSSAB is requesting that all service providers with significant pressures or needs that may exceed financial support in excess of $25,000 for one item/project (i.e. heating, flooring or roof repairs), advise DNSSAB as soon as the concern is identified by completing the Identified Needs Form linked below.

It is important to note that completing the Identified Needs Form does not guarantee funding and that identified items will also need to be included in the actual application process. 

APPLICATION PROCESS

The application for Special Purpose Funding will be made available annually.  Service Providers are asked to complete the application form electronically and save it to their DNSSAB OneDrive along with the applicable supporting documentation on or before May 10th, 2024 at noon.  Once the application is completed, Service Providers should inform DNSSAB via email at: csfundingrequest@dnssab.ca 

All supporting documentation (i.e. quotes, current-year receipts/or paid invoices, third party recommendations, etc.) related to the request must be included with the application in order to be considered.

Funding will be allocated based on the priority rating described below and is dependent on Ministry funding allocations and DNSSAB’s Children’s Services budget flexibility.

PROCESSING APPLICATIONS

Unless there is outstanding information, DNSSAB will review and process the Service Provider’s application within 15 business days of the application’s closure date in accordance to established budget, priorities, Policies and Guidelines.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

Any application does not guarantee a Funding allocation for projects proposed, in progress or complete.

Any financial or contractual agreement the Service Provider undertakes is at their own risk and DNSSAB takes no responsibility for any financial investments the Service Provider makes prior to entering into a contractual agreement.

Unless approval for a Funding deferral has been approved, all Funding allocations must be expended by December 31st.

REPORTING AND RECONCILIATION REQUIREMENTS

Service Providers in receipt of Funding will be required to reconcile the Funding allocation with actual expenditures, in the prescribed format by DNSSAB.

As part of the reconciliation process, the Service Provider will be required to submit invoices and a copy of the cancelled cheque or proof of payment to DNSSAB. Any adjustments and recoveries of Funding will be determined through the reconciliation process.

Any unused or fisused funds shall be recovered by DNSSAB.